Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Regional | by Claire McCormack <\/p>\n
Queens Park looks at a pilot project, which is supported by the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force. <\/p>\n
The Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force supports the Ontario Government's pilot project of a basic income guarantee, but says the province needs to realize poverty isn't just an urban issue. <\/p>\n
Task Force Co-ordinator Jill Umbach says the idea is to provide a government subsidy for low income people that would go right to them in a similar way to the Ontario Seniors' Benefit Program. <\/p>\n
Umbach says the plan is to have income information go to the government at tax time and if someone qualifies, the rest would be automatic. <\/p>\n
The Task Force likes the idea of enabling low income people to receive the money they need in a more dignified way without being micro-managed by the province and regularly required provide documentation about how much money they've made. <\/p>\n
The program began to take shape in June 2016 with a discussion paper from the province called Finding a Better Way: A Basic Income. Consultation sessions followed and the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force attended a number of them. <\/p>\n
Umbach says they made sure the rural perspective was clearly conveyed to others during the consultations which all took place in urban centres. <\/p>\n
She notes rural issues cannot be ignored, and believes more robust economic development and local investment will reverse the rise of precarious work, loss of benefits to families and out-migration of young people and families from the community. <\/p>\n
Umbach says the pilot would be rolled out in just a few communities within the province for a span of three years. It would replace Ontario Works subsidies in those instances. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/p>\n
Guaranteed basic income proposed. - Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Regional | by Claire McCormack Queens Park looks at a pilot project, which is supported by the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force. The Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force supports the Ontario Government's pilot project of a basic income guarantee, but says the province needs to realize poverty isn't just an urban issue. Task Force Co-ordinator Jill Umbach says the idea is to provide a government subsidy for low income people that would go right to them in a similar way to the Ontario Seniors' Benefit Program. Continue reading